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By Allie Bradshaw, HOPE supporter

On Monday, our group started arriving in the bustling capital city of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Nothing quite tests the measure of a group like a long bus ride after a travel day that started before the sun, but it didn’t take long to discover that this trip was going to be something special. As we got to know one another on a drive to the eastern peninsula of Samaná, Julie Wilson, president of Women Doing Well, introduced people to Women Doing Well and the journey we were about to take together through The Pathway.

Having visited HOPE International’s work in Kigali, Rwanda, in the past, I appreciated HOPE’s dedication to always interacting with the people they serve in a dignified manner, and I was intrigued to see how Women Doing Well’s curriculum would influence my experience of this trip.

We had the privilege of meeting several women whose lives have been impacted by their involvement with Esperanza, HOPE’s microfinance institution. It was so much fun to celebrate the success and growth of these women (whom Esperanza calls “associates”) as they shared their stories about how they started with small loans to grow their businesses.

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In the last few years, more and more information has been shared about the harm that can come from short-term mission trips, or, as they have been dubbed, “voluntourism.” We’ve heard the negatives: $2 billion spent annually, paternalistic attitudes reinforced, cycles of dependency created, construction work “invented” for visitors, and dignity stripped. Continue Reading…

Through the Experience HOPE Trips program, participants meet staff and clients of Esperanza International, HOPE’s partner in the Dominican Republic; visit small businesses started with microloans; and return home inspired by the experience. But that’s not all.

Here are five reasons you should experience HOPE Trips.

  1. You don’t have to take our word for it. Have you ever wondered if microfinance is over-hyped or whether a small loan can truly make a big difference? See for yourself when you meet and speak with small business owners in the Dominican Republic.
  2. Discuss the problem of poverty with like-minded travelers. Scripture has a lot to say about poverty but isn’t always clear on how to responsibly apply principles of generosity and good stewardship. Spend time discussing God’s call and our response with others wrestling with the same questions.
  3. Your view on poverty won’t be the same. Think poverty just means lacking money? Expand your perspective as you learn how broadly those who live in poverty define the problem.
  4. You’ll meet those your support has empowered. If you’ve ever prayed for HOPE’s ministry or given to our programs, you’ve impacted our clients. Putting names and faces to HOPE’s clients helps you pray and give with passion.
  5. The D.R. is positively balmy this time of year. Temperatures in the Dominican Republic in January average 75 degrees. Need we say more?

For more information or to register for a HOPE Trip, visit www.hopetrips.org.